Hagia Sophia Museum

Built during the Byzantine era, the grand churches of Hagia Sophia were turned into a mosque complex after Istanbul’s conquest, which was eventually turned into a museum by the time the modern Turkish Republic was founded. Rebuilt three times at the same site, Hagia Sophia houses the museum with an outstanding mosaic collection. Of the original ceiling mosaics from the 6th century, the ones with plant and geometric designs are well-preserved.